KAI and Fire Point launch bachelor’s programme for deftech engineers with €800 monthly scholarships

Kyiv Aviation Institute (KAI) and defence tech company Fire Point have launched a joint bachelor’s programme titled Engineering of Autonomous Aerospace Robotic Systems.

Fire Point will fully fund the four-year degree programme and provide students with a monthly scholarship of €800.

The programme’s founders expect graduates to become chief-level design engineers for Ukraine’s aerospace and defence projects.

Admission requirements and curriculum

Applicants must achieve outstanding scores in Ukraine’s National Multi-Subject Test (NMT), including at least 170 points in physics and 173 points in mathematics. Candidates must also pass additional entrance examinations in mathematics, physics and logic, followed by a motivational interview.

Applicants can register for the entrance exams via the programme’s website.

The curriculum combines KAI’s engineering fundamentals with industry-focused courses developed by Fire Point. It covers rocket and aircraft systems design, digital modelling, engine engineering and data science. Students will also study how to design systems resilient to electronic warfare (EW) and electronic intelligence (ELINT) from the earliest stages of development.

Starting from the second year, students will complete internships at drone, aerospace and missile manufacturing facilities while receiving mentorship from leading engineers and chief designers.

The inaugural intake will consist of 15–20 students. It is primarily aimed at winners of national Olympiads in physics, mathematics and computer science, as well as graduates of the Junior Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (MAN).

The programme aims to integrate students into real engineering projects during their studies and prepare them for immediate employment as design engineers, software developers and electronics engineers without requiring additional industry training.

KAI President Kseniia Semenova said the defence sector has become Ukraine’s largest industry, making cooperation between universities and defence companies increasingly important.

“We want to deliver this ambitious project to show that Ukraine is known around the world for its drones, missiles and aircraft,” she said.

Fire Point’s Head of University Partnerships, Viktoriia, described the initiative as an investment in Ukraine’s engineering talent.

“Once defence is no longer the primary national priority, we will be preparing engineers for space technologies and satellite manufacturing,” she said.